6:10 am
U.S. stocks sank on Thursday, with the S&P 500 posting its biggest one-day percentage drop since April 10 on news that a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet crashed near the Ukraine-Russia border.
Investors sold stocks in a move to avoid risk and poured money into safe-haven investments like gold and U.S. government bonds as the crash stoked concerns that the conflict in Ukraine might widen after U.S. sanctions against Russia were announced late Wednesday.
6:05 am
US President Barack Obama and Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko emphasized in a phone call on Thursday that all evidence from the downed Malaysian jetliner must remain in Ukraine for investigators to see.
"President Poroshenko welcomed the assistance of international investigators to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation of the crash site," the White House said of the call. "President Obama assured him that U.S. experts will offer all possible assistance immediately.
6:00 am
Reuters tweets: Ukrainian official says armed rebels are hampering search operations at #MH17 wreckage scene:
5:50 am
Emergency responders must be given "unhindered and safe" access to the site where a Malaysia Airlines jet carrying at least 154 Dutch citizens crashed in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, the Dutch foreign minister said.
"This is a very black day for the Netherlands," said Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans, adding that there needed to be an independent investigation into the crash.
5:48 am
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said if the downing of a Malaysian airliner over eastern Ukraine was a criminal act, then "it is an unspeakable crime".
The Australian government said in a statement it had grave concerns that a number of Australians might have been on the plane, which crashed on Thursday, killing all 295 people on board.
The European head of Malaysia Airlines said at least 27 Australian were on the flight.
5:45 am
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"This is truly a grave situation," Biden said in a speech in Detroit.
5:35 am
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said Ukraine bore responsibility for the downing of a passenger plane in the country's east, saying it would not have happened if Kiev had not resumed a military campaign against separatists.
"This tragedy would not have happened, if there had been peace on that land, or in any case if military operations in southeastern Ukraine had not been renewed," he said in televised comments.
"And without doubt the government of the territory on which it happened bears responsibility for this frightening tragedy," he said, adding that he had urged the Russian authorities to do everything possible to help with the investigation into the incident.
"We will do everything that we can so that an objective pictured of what happened can be achieved," Putin said. "This is a completely unacceptable thing."
5:34 am
The Chinese government was shocked by the crash of a Malaysian plane in Ukraine and determining whether there were Chinese citizens onboard, a foreign ministry spokesman said.
"We are shocked by the news that the Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight crashed in eastern Ukraine. We convey our deep condolence to the victims and our sincere sympathy to their families," Qin Gang said in a statement.
2:50 am
The director of Eurocontrol, which controls air traffic across Europe, says that Ukrainian airspace has now been closed after reports of the crash. Speaking to Radio 5 Live, Tytgat Luc said there were four aircraft flying in the same area at the same time that the crash occurred, but that they continued their flights.
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| People place candles and flowers at the Dutch embassy for victims of Malaysia Airlines MH17, which crashed in eastern Ukraine, in Kiev July 17, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] |
"The president of Russia asked the prime minister of Malaysia to convey his deepest sympathy and support to the victims' families," Malaysia's Bernama state news agency reported, citing Putin's official website.
2:39 am
Chinese embassy in Malaysia has not received report of Chinese citizen on board MH17 flight which crashed in Ukraine, Xinhua reported.
2:34 am
At least four French nationals on board, France's foreign minister said.
2:26 am
US President Barack Obama said the crash was a "terrible tragedy" and the United States would offer any assistance necessary to help determine what happened and why.
Obama said officials were looking into whether U.S. citizens were on board the plane.
2:25 am
Italy's Alitalia became another airline to divert flights away from eastern Ukraine in the wake of the incident. The list also includes: Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, Russia's Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, BBC reported.
2:11 am
Obama to address Malaysian plane crash at beginning of remarks in Delaware, starting shortly: White House
2:09 am
Reuters tweeted - Malaysian airliner was flying normally without problems until disappeared from radar: head of Ukrainian airspace regulatory body.
2:07 am
Map shows the flight path of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 which crashed in Eastern Ukraine on Thursday.
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